Shared bonds
by accioepiphany
Summary: Living together means sharing happy moments, but also worries. Short fic that shows a glimpse of home interactions, or something like that. I'm bad at summarizing this one for some reason! It's warm and comforting! and sweet!


"So, what do you think?"

"hmm?"

"About the plans. Do you think it could work?"

"It could. We just need to get people on board, assign tasks. Make it work"

"Where is your head?"

Rick stopped staring at the empty space in front of him and turned to face her, her eyes were searching his, there was worry in them.

"Here. I'm here. I'm listening"

"Your mind is not here" She said, standing from the couch and leaving the blueprints she was holding on the coffee table. "We'll discuss this another time"

"Sure" He stood up and followed her to the kitchen, where she had pick up two glasses and filled them with water. He laid on the counter in front of her while she handed him one glass and drank from the other. "Sorry. I'm a little distracted"

"I can see that" Michonne replied. She sighed and closed her eyelids a little, trying to read his expressions, always so telling. "You don't have to worry about tomorrow. You'll be fine. I'll be standing next to you. We have watched this people for a while, we wouldn't be doing this if they didn't look safe" She finished, still staring at him but now with a soft complexion that implied that everything, in fact, was going to be fine. Rick softened a little on his expression as well, it was still a mystery to him how she managed to do that. With a look she became immediately his lighting rod, his grounding.

"You gotta interrupt me if I start speaking nonsense or being too aggressive... I tend to scare people away"

Michonne tilted her face and made a big smile, glad she could read him so easily. She left the glass she was holding on the counter and walked to where he was reclining in front of her, holding his confused and still worried face in her hands. "They will love you, or if not they will at least respect you. People follow you Rick. You're a natural leader"

"No, I'm not. But people insist on laying all that responsibility on me. And I'm a mess. I don't want these new people to see me like that too"

Michonne let her hands fell to her sides and changed her face to a more serious expression.

"Hey, when I said I was with you I meant it. I'll be standing right next to you. Ok?" She looked at him for a second and noticed he wasn't at ease yet "We don't put everything on you, or do we? I think Alexandria is well aware we cannot put all the pressure on one person cause this needs to be a community"

"No. You don't do that. Here I can have a break, I can stay a whole day in the house and everyone goes on. It's... It has been a long time since we had another new interaction, and... I don't know."

"Ok. Then I'll speak. And you'll be standing at my side, cause don't think I'll let you completely off the hook" She turned around and picked her glass of water and went back to sit on the couch, while Rick stood there numb.

Just like that she had release him of his load, she was willing to do this thing that have worried him the whole week, and she was willing to do it in the most natural way. Like when they took turns cleaning the house or taking the trash out, she was willing to share this duty as well.

He noticed how happy it made him the fact that she was as much of a leader as him, and that she usually was able to share that role with him. In Alexandria they usually came to him or Michonne, and she was on top of most of the issues going on in the community, now in particular with the rest of the expansion going on. He was being completely honest when he said he could take a day and nothing would happen, because Michonne was there. Michonne was always there.

"Are you coming?" She called from the couch. She had picked a book she has been reading for the past week, something about building and construction, a subject that was now frequently in her mind. Rick walked towards the couch and sat next to her, he had a new purpose, he wasn't doing this cause it was forced on him, but because it was his share, his part to fulfill. He stared at her until she turned to him, and then he kissed her tenderly, letting go just to give her a smile.

"Feeling better?"

"I'll talk tomorrow. I'm ready" He said, holding her free hand and keeping up the smile.

"You don't have to"

"I know. That's why I want to do it, you do a lot already. I have this. We're in this together, right?"

Michonne smiled and gave him a comprehensive nod. Squeezing his hand a little while returning to her book. Rick laid his head on her shoulder and made a long sigh. Life always seemed easier when she was close enough for him to lean on her.


End file.
